TRANSDUCER CARTRIDGE FOR AN ULTRASOUND THERAPY HEAD

• US 20110077555A1
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solta Medical, Inc. (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Medicis Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Bennett, Frederick J., Wing, Gregory T., Crunkilton, Jeffrey R., Bockenstedt, Craig R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,425,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/101 Computer-aided simulation of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4405 Device being mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/546 involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0082 Scanning transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 19/0042 modifying the liquid flow B01D19/0021 takes precedence

Abstract

A medical ultrasound system. A base unit is included having system electronics, a user interface and ultrasound control electronics. An ultrasound therapy head is in electronic communication with the base unit. The therapy head includes a replaceable, sealed transducer cartridge with a coupling fluid therein. A cooling system is provided for cooling the coupling fluid. A plurality of guide indicators are positioned around the therapy head to align with crossed lines on a patient so as to properly align the therapy head prior to use. The therapy head can provide variable treatments to an area while the therapy head is in contact with a patient.

Claims

1. A cartridge connectable to a body to form a therapy head, said cartridge comprising:

a sealed enclosure comprising a wall having an acoustic window therein and having an interior and an exterior surface, wherein the interior is filled with an acoustic coupling liquid;

a high intensity ultrasound transducer within the enclosure and having an output surface generally aligned with the acoustic window;

a bearing member passing through an opening in the wall and coupled to the high intensity ultrasonic transducer, said opening being sealed to prevent loss of the acoustic coupling liquid and said bearing member being attachable to a driver in the body to orient the direction of acoustic energy delivered through the window by the high intensity ultrasonic transducer; and

a heat exchanger thermally coupled to draw heat from the acoustic coupling liquid without removing said liquid from the sealed enclosure.

2. The cartridge as in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a conduit disposed within the interior or the sealed enclosure and connected to inlet and outlet ports formed through the wall, wherein a cooling liquid can be circulated through the conduit to cool the acoustic coupling liquid while the acoustic coupling liquid remains isolated from the cooling liquid.

3. The cartridge as in claim 2, wherein the heat exchange conduit is coiled to surround a central space and the high intensity ultrasound transducer is disposed in the central space.

4. The cartridge as in claim 3, wherein the coiled conduit has serpentine segments to increase the heat transfer area.

5. The cartridge as in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a thermoelectric device coupled to the exterior of the sealed enclosure.

6. The cartridge as in claim 5, wherein the thermoelectric device is configured to interface with a liquid recirculation cooler in the body of the therapy head.

7. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the transducer is a short stack transducer assembly.

8. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the acoustic coupling liquid comprises water.

9. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cooling liquid comprises water.

10. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is coated with a metallization layer to inhibit loss of the acoustic coupling liquid.

11. The cartridge of claim 10, wherein the metallization layer has a thickness approximately 500 to 1500 Å

ngstroms.

12. The cartridge of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the metallization layer is less than X, where X=[((α

−

0.09)*1000)/0.03]+500, with X being the metallization layer thickness in Å

ngstroms, and a being a maximum acceptable acoustic attention in dB in a transmission window.

13. A cartridge for use with an ultrasound therapy head, the cartridge comprising:

an enclosure having an exterior surface and a liquid tight interior;

a high intensity focused ultrasound transducer mounted in the liquid tight interior; and

a coil heat exchanger within the liquid tight interior; and

means for maintaining a desired temperature in the liquid tight volume by utilizing fluid flow through the heat exchanger to remove heat from the liquid tight interior.

14. A therapy head comprising:

a cartridge as in claim 13;

a body removably attachable to the cartridge;

a cooling interface on the body which engages the heat exchanger on the cartridge when the cartridge is attached to the body, wherein the cooling interface removes heat from the heat exchanger;

a mechanical interface on the body which engages the bearing member on the cartridge when the cartridge is attached to the body said mechanical interface coupling the driver to the bearing; and

an electrical interface on the body which attaches a power source to the high intensity ultrasonic transducer when the cartridge is attached to the body.

15. A therapy head as in claim 14, wherein the cooling interface includes a coolant recirculation conduit.

16. A therapy head as in claim 14, wherein the mechanical interface comprises a motor.

17. A therapy head as in claim 14, wherein the electrical interface comprises a cable.

18. A cartridge connectable to a body to form a therapy head, said cartridge comprising:

a sealed enclosure comprising a wall having an acoustic window therein and having an interior and an exterior surface, wherein the interior is filled with an acoustic coupling liquid;

a high intensity ultrasonic transducer within the enclosure and having an output surface generally aligned with the acoustic windows;

a means for manipulating the high intensity ultrasonic transducer passing through an opening in the wall, said opening being sealed to prevent loss of the acoustic coupling liquid and said manipulation means being attachable to a driver in the body to change the direction of acoustic energy delivered through the window by the high intensity ultrasonic transducer; and

a means for drawing heat from the acoustic coupling liquid without removing said liquid from the sealed enclosure.

19. A therapy head comprising:

a cartridge as in claim 18;

a body removably attachable to the cartridge;

a means for removing heat from the means for drawing heat on the cartridge when the cartridge is attached to the body;

a means for coupling to the manipulation means to the driver on the body when the cartridge is attached to the body;

a means for attaching a power source on the body to the high intensity ultrasonic transducer when the cartridge is attached to the body.